Collapsible mud pan bracket

Abstract

A belt-mountable bracket for removably supporting a mud pan for use by construction workers during drywall installation. The bracket is adjustable between a deployed position extending outwardly from the worker's waist belt and a collapsed position resting alongside the worker's body.

I claim: 
     
       1. A bracket mountable on a belt secured to a body of a user for supporting a receptacle at waist level, said bracket comprising: (a) securing means for securing said bracket to the user's belt;   (b) a frame hingedly coupled to said securing means for removably receiving said receptacle, wherein said frame is swingable between a resting position extending alongside the user's body and a deployed position extending outwardly from the user's body; and   (c) collapsible support means coupled to said frame and moveable between a bracing position extending beneath said frame for supporting said frame in said deployed position and a collapsed position extending substantially co-planar with said frame when said frame is in said resting position, wherein said support means comprises: (a) a brace member adapted to bear against a leg of the user when said frame is in said deployed position; and   (b) coupling means for coupling said brace member to said frame.     
     
     
       2. The bracket as defined in claim 1, wherein said brace member further comprises a strap for releasably securing said brace member to one of the user's legs. 
     
     
       3. The bracket as defined in claim 1, further comprising locking means formed on said frame for releasably locking said support means in said bracing position. 
     
     
       4. The bracket as defined in claim 1, wherein said frame is rectangular and comprises spaced-apart side bars and end bars. 
     
     
       5. The bracket as defined in claim 4 wherein said coupling means comprises: (a) a pair of first rods, each first rod being pivotably coupled to one of said frame side bars; and   (b) a pair of second rods, each second rod being slidably coupled to one of said frame side bars.   
     
     
       6. A bracket as defined in claim 5, further comprising locking means for restraining movement of said rods relative to said frame side bars. 
     
     
       7. The bracket as defined in claim 5, wherein said securing means comprises a hook for suspending said bracket on said belt. 
     
     
       8. The bracket as defined in claim 7, further comprising locking means for releasably coupling said pair of second rods to said hook to thereby restrain sliding movement of said second pair of rods when said frame is in said deployed position. 
     
     
       9. The bracket as defined in claim 8, wherein said locking means comprises a fastener extending between said pair of second rods and having a strip of hook-type fastening material for releasably engaging a mating strip of loop-type fastening material located on said hook. 
     
     
       10. A bracket mountable on a belt secured to a body of a user for supporting a receptacle at waist level, said bracket comprising: (a) securing means for securing said bracket to the user's belt;   (b) a frame for removably receiving said receptacle, said frame having a first end and a second end;   (c) a hinge for hingedly coupling said frame first end to said securing means, wherein said frame is swingable about said hinge between a resting position extending alongside the user's body and a deployed position extending outwardly from the user's body; and   (c) support means coupled to said frame for releasably maintaining said frame in said deployed position, wherein said support means is connectible to said frame at a position remote from said hinge and wherein said support means comprises: (a) a brace member adapted to bear against a leg of the user beneath said frame when said frame is in said deployed position; and   (b) coupling means for coupling said brace member to said frame.